A proposal to reroute freight trains carrying volatile Bakken crude oil through Crystal and into downtown Minneapolis has raised concerns among communities along the rail line.

BNSF and Canadian Pacific tracks cross in Crystal, and the two railroads have proposed connecting the lines to reroute some train traffic south through Theodore Wirth Park and into downtown Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Board is attempting to block the reroute by purchasing a key parcel of land in Crystal, and legislators at the state Capitol are also working to delay the project or shift the oil train traffic away from populated areas.